.16 THE NATURE AND POWER
ward real principle. Wherefore God makes his law internal again, and implants it on the heart as it was at first, when he intends to give it power to produce obedience in his peo- ple; Jer. xxxi. 31 — 33. 'I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.' This is that which God fixeth on, as it were, upon a discovery of the insufficiency of an outward law leading men unto obedience. The written law, saith he, will not do it ; mercies and deliverances from distress will not effect it; trials and afflictions will not ac- complish it ; then, saith the Lord, will I take another course; I will turn the written law, into an internal living principle in their hearts, and that will have such an efficacy, as shall assuredly make them my people, and keep them so. Now such is this law of sin, it is an indwelling law ; Rom. vii. 17. * It is sin that dwelleth in me ;' ver. 20. * Sin that dwelleth in me ;' ver. 21. It* is present with me ;' ver. 23. It 'is in my members;' yea, it is so far in a man, as in some sense it is said to be the man himself, ver. 18. ' I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) there dwelleth no good thing.' The flesh, which is the seat and throne of this law, yea, which indeed in this law, is in some sense the man himself, as grace also is the new man. Now from this consideration of it, that it is an indwelling law inclining and moving to sin, as an in- ward habit or principle, it hath sundry advantages increas- ing its strength and furthering its power. As,
1. It always abides in the soul, it is never absent. The apostle twice useth that expression, it ' dwelleth in me.' There is its constant residence and habitation. If it came upon the soul only at certain seasons, much obedience might be perfectly accomplished in its absence. Yea, and as they deal with usurping tyrants, whom they intend to thrust out of a city, the gates might be sometimes shut against it, that it might not return. The soul might fortify itself against it. But the soul is its home, there it dwells, and is no wanderer. Wherever you are, whatever you are about, this law of sin is always in you ; in the best that you do, and in the worst. Men little consider what a dangerous companion is always at home with them. When they are in company, when alone, by night or by day, all is one, sin is with them. There is a living coal continually in their houses, which, if it be not looked unto, will fire them.
OF INDWELLING SIK
17
and it may be consume them. O the vvotul security ot poor souls ! How little do the most of men think of this in- bred enemy, that is never from home ! How little , for the most part, doth the watchfulness of any professors answer the danger of their state and condition !
2. It is always ready to apply itself to every end and purpose that it serves unto. It doth not only 'dwell in me/ saith the apostle, ' but when I would do good, it is pre- sent with me;' there is somewhat more in that expression, than mere indwelling. An inmate may dwell in a hous e, and yet not be always meddling with what the good man of the house hath to do (that so we may keep to the allusion of in- dwelling, used by the apostle) ; but it is so with this law, u doth so dwell in us, as that it will be present with us in e very thing we do ; yea, oftentimes when with niost earnestness we desire to be quit of it, with most violence it will put it self upon us ; ' When I would do good, it is present with me . Would you pray, woulu you hear, would you give alms' would you meditate, would you be in any duty acting faith on God, and love towards him, would you work righteous- ness, would you resist temptations ; this troublesome perplex- ing indweller, will still more or less put itself upon you, and be present with you, so that you cannot perfectly and com- pletely accomplish the thing that is good, as our apostle speaks, ver. 18. Sometimes men by hearkening to their temptations, do stir up, excite, and provoke their lusts; and no wonder if then they find them present and active. But it will be so, when with all our endeavours we labour to be free from them. This law of sin dwells in us, that is, it ad- heres as a depraved principle unto our minds in darkness and vanity ; unto our affections in sensuality ; unto our wills in a loathing of, and aversation from, that which is good ; and by some, more, or all, of these,- is continually putting itself upon us, in inclinations, motions, or suggestions to evil, when we would be most gladly quit of it.
3. It being an indwelling law, it applies itself to its work with great facility and easiness, like 'the sin that doth so easily beset us ;' Heb. xii. 1. It hath a great facility and easiness in the application of itself unto its work, it needs no doors to be opened unto it, it needs no engines to work by. The soul cannot apply itself to any duty of a man, but